Modular structures, retaining wall system, and method of construction

Claim 2

A tie-back element, for modular assembly of a wall for retaining soil along an embankment, such element to be used in combination with and in spaced relationship from other similar elements, with soil retaining panel means extending between each pair of such elements, comprising an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends, an elongated, rigid, horizontally extending leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means, such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position for use in a retaining wall, such column means including means extending along a major portion of its length for receiving an end of a soil retaining panel means, such elongated leg means having an overall length which is greater than the height of such column means and including a terminal end longitudinally spaced from that end of the leg means contiguous to the column means, with cross-sectional dimensional characteristics of such leg means being greater at locations contiguous to the terminal end than corresponding dimensional characteristics of portions of such leg means contiguous to such column means, such web means extending along the leg means toward such terminal end.

Claim 3

The tie-back element of claim 1 in which the column means and leg means are in substantially right angled relationship forming an L-shaped configuration in side elevation when in such upright position.

Claim 4

The tie-back element of claim 1 in which the horizontally oriented flange means is of non-uniform width as measured in a horizontal plane, with such width dimension being greater at the terminal end than at the end joined to the column means.

Claim 5

The tie-back element of claim 1 wherein such web means extending along the leg means has at least one means for receiving an implement for handling the element during placement.

Claim 6

Structure for a modular assembly for retaining soil along an embankment, comprising in combination at least a pair of laterally spaced tie-back elements, each tie-back element including an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends, an elongated, rigid, horizontally extending leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means, such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position for use in a retaining wall, such column means including panel receiving means extending along a major portion of its length, such elongated leg means having an overall length which is greater than the height of such column means and including a terminal end longitudinally spaced from that end of the leg means contiguous to the column means, with a cross-sectional dimension of such leg means being greater contiguous to the terminal end than the corresponding dimension at portions of such leg means contiguous to such column means, the web means extending along the leg means toward such terminal end, and elongated retaining panel means spanning such lateral space between such pair of tie-back elements, such elongated panel means being longitudinally continuous, such retaining panel means having longitudinal ends contacting the panel receiving means along the column means of the tie-back elements and having a concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section including opposite concave and convex surfaces with the convex surface facing and receiving soil fill supported by the assembly, such panel receiving means on each column means being in confronting relationship across such lateral spacing between the pair of tie-back elements, the soil retaining panel means and tie-back elements being free of any positive interconnection, with the soil retaining panel means being held in place by their own weight and configuration prior to soil fill against the convex surface of such panel means, the tie-back elements holding such retaining panel means against horizontal outward movement in a direction away from the embankment with soil pressure on such retaining panel means being transmitted back to embankment overburden through such leg means.

Claim 7

Structure for a modular assembly for retaining soil along an embankment, comprising in combination at least a pair of laterally spaced tie-back elements, each tie-back element including an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends, an elongated, rigid, horizontally extending leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means, such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position for use in a retaining wall, such column means including panel receiving means extending along a major portion of its length, such elongated leg means having an overall length which is greater than the height of such column means and including a terminal end longitudinally spaced from that end of the leg means contiguous to the column means, with a cross-sectional dimension of such leg means being greater contiguous to the terminal end than the corresponding dimension at portions of such leg means contiguous to such column means, the web means extending along the leg means toward such terminal end, and elongated retaining panel means spanning such lateral space between such pair of tie-back elements, such elongated panel means being longitudinally continuous, such retaining panel means having longitudinal ends contacting the panel receiving means along the column means of the tie-back elements and having a concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section including opposite concave and convex surfaces with the convex surface facing and receiving soil fill supported by the assembly, such panel receiving means on each column means being in confronting relationship across such lateral spacing between the pair of tie-back elements, the soil retaining panel means and tie-back elements being free of any positive interconnection, with the soil retaining panel means being held in place by their own weight and configuration prior to soil fill against the convex surface of such panel means, the tie-back elements holding such retaining panel means against horizontal outward movement in a direction away from the embankment with soil pressure on such retaining panel means being transmitted back to embankment overburden through such leg means.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 5 in which such soil retaining panel means comprise a plurality of elongated panels stacked in self-supporting relationship free of positive connection means between the panels, one on top another along such elongated column means.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 5 in which th panel receiving means comprise recess means having a rounded cross-sectional configuration with opposite longitudinal ends of such soil retaining panel means having a rounded cross-sectional configuration which conforms to that of such recess means, and further including expansion joint means comprising elastomeric material extending in the recess means of such column means in contact with longitudinal ends of such retaining panel means.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 5 including a plurality of tie-back elements in excess of two arranged in laterally spaced relationship along a substantially horizontal plane with confronting recess means of each pair of tie-back elements receiving retaining panel means and wherein the length of such leg means of the tie-back elements is at least twice the height of such column means.

Claim 11

A modular retaining wall system for retaining soil along an embankment, the system comprising a plurality of individual selected-height retaining wall tiers arranged one above the other and offset inwardly toward the embankment with respect to each other for holding an embankment of compacted soil and similar fill material, each of the plurality of such tiers being assembled from modular structures comprising tie-back elements in laterally spaced relationship with elongated soil retaining panel means spanning such space between pairs of tie-back elements, the tie-back elements comprising an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends, an elongated, rigid, horizontally extended leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means, such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position, the elongated soil retaining panel means comprising longitudinally continuous panels of concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section having concave and convex wall surfaces having opposite longitudinal ends contacting the column means of a spaced pair of tie-back elements with intermediate convex wall surface area confronting the embankment for holding back soil fill, a lower tier of such modular elements being assembled along a substantially horizontal plane, and with a subsequent overlaying tier being assembled independently of the lower tier on fill behind the retaining panel means and above the horizontally extending leg means of the lower tier, such subsequent tier being offset in the direction of the embankment from the lower tier.

Claim 12

A modular retaining wall system for retaining soil along an embankment, the system comprising a plurality of individual selected-height retaining wall tiers arranged one above the other and offset inwardly toward the embankment with respect to each other for holding an embankment of compacted soil and similar fill material, each of the plurality of such tiers being assembled from modular structures comprising tie-back elements in laterally spaced relationship with elongated soil retaining panel means spanning such space between pairs of tie-back elements, the tie-back elements comprising an elongated, rigid, vertically oriented column means having upper and lower longitudinal ends, an elongated, rigid, horizontally extended leg means projecting in angled relationship to such column means from the lower longitudinal end of such column means, such leg means including horizontally oriented flange means, and web means extending between the column means and the leg means within the interior angle formed by such column means and leg means, such column means, leg means, and web means being unitary and sharing a common vertical plane when the element is in normal upright position, the elongated soil retaining panel means comprising longitudinally continuous panels of concavo-convex configuration in horizontal cross section having concave and convex wall surfaces having opposite longitudinal ends contacting the column means of a spaced pair of tie-back elements with intermediate convex wall surface area confronting the embankment for holding back soil fill, a lower tier of such modular elements being assembled along a substantially horizontal plane, and with a subsequent overlaying tier being assembled independently of the lower tier on fill behind the retaining panel means and above the horizontally extending leg means of the lower tier, such subsequent tier being offset in the direction of the embankment from the lower tier.

Claim 13

The assembly of claim 9 in which the laterally spaced tie-back elements of such overlaying tier are located intermediate the lateral spacing between pairs of tie-back elements of the lower tier.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein a plurality of pairs of tie-back elements are positioned in spaced relationship to establish a longitudinally extending first tier retaining wall.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 including assembling a second tier of modular structures over and above such first tier after overburden has been compacted against the retaining panel means and over horizontal leg means of the tie-back elements of the first tier, the tie-back elements of such second tier being offset inwardly toward the embankment with respect to such first tier, the second tier being assembled independently of the first tier but being assembled in the same fashion as such first tier free of positive interconnection means between tie-back elements and panel means.